Comparison of Ankle Strategies for Balance in Persons After Mild Head Injury

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Abstract

<p>Objective: The purpose of this project was to characterize and
compare balance in persons after MHI using an assessment of ankle
strategies. Design: This project used an observational cohort study
design. Methodology: Thirty male and female participants aged 18 -
40 years of age provided written consent according to university
guidelines and were grouped as being with or without a history of
MHI over the past 12 months. Computerized protocols of the NeuroCom
EquiTest® system included assessments of static and dynamic
standing balance during six sensory conditions in the Sensory
Organization Test (SOT) and during translational perturbations of
the Motor Control Test (MCT). In addition to standard balance
scores, a new method proposed by Zhiming et al. (2004) called the “
Postural Stability Index” (PSI) was used to process platform data
to document ankle stiffness. Data Analysis: Data analysis included
standardized Student T-Test statistics (SPSS v.16) at an alpha
level of 0.05. Also, a Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was
calculated to identify significant relationships within the data
pool. Preliminary Results: Preliminary findings indicate no
significant differences according to standard SOT or MCT scores.
Results indicate significant differences in ankle stiffness or PSI
scores which have been shown to be highly correlated to decreased
balance skills in other patient populations. Clinical Relevance:
Preliminary results indicate that assessment of ankle strategies
used during challenged balance may be a more sensitive indicator of
balance skills in patients after MHI. Final results will be
presented along with a discussion of possible clinical use in
rehabilitation programs.</p>